November December 2015 FREE!
PRIDE MATTERS President of GLAY, Adrianus Van Warooij, on the PRIDE main stage in the Yumbo de Playa del Inglés. Image: SABRINA CEBALLOS
We have, in this publication, several times reported on GLAY in recent years; the volunteer-led LGBT association that founded Maspalomas PRIDE back in 2002. It is they who have been solely responsible for taking this community event from humble beginnings 15 years ago, during the quietest month of the year, to now the single most highly attended annual celebration bringing foreigners and native Canarians together.
Why is any of this significant? Well, first and foremost, PRIDE is our local expression of a very important global movement for equality, the authenticity of which is unquestioned - if that is unclear to you, please Google “Stonewall”.
As well as that, GLAY represents the single most organised group of foreign residents, business owners and native Canarians, working Upwards of 100,000 people are estimated to attend annually more together with local institutions and government, to produce a than half of whom fly in specifically for the event. More than 45% uniquely successful major event. It could even be argued that it is of attendees come directly from the UK and much, much more than the highest yielding single attraction aimed at foreigners anywhere 65% of them are English speakers, along with a good mix of other in The Canary Islands. This unique community association, GLAY, nationalities. Maspalomas PRIDE Gran Canaria has become one has the capacity to act as a true model for social inclusion and of the best known PRIDEs in Europe, and it was specifically built citizen participation; something that is all too lacking among the by volunteers working alongside local businesses to produce an estimated 100,000 foreign residents who have made this island unparalleled economic success for the island and all involved. This their permanent home. It is a real story of achievement. year the event looks set to go into actual profit for the first time in a That is to say, it is pretty rare, and very precious. decade. This is genuine cause for celebration.
...Continued P.12